Display stand



May 15, 1956 R. E. PAIGE 2,745,617

DISPLAY STAND Filed June 7, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent DISPLAY STAND Richard E. Paige, New York, N. Y.

Application June 7, 1952, Serial No. 292,268

7 Claims. (Cl. 248-174) My invention is an improvement in display stands, such as can be made of blanks of cardboard or the like, with score lines so that it can be bent into the required shape.

An important object of this invention is to provide a display stand having a base section and a tray section at the top with portions that can be bent to form the tray section and at the same time will brace the entire structure and hold it in set-up position.

Other objects are set forth in the description, and the preferred embodiment of the device is illustrated in the drawings, on which:

Figure l is a plan view of the blank of sheet material which is bent and folded to give the structure of the stand.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the display structure in partly set-up position.

Figure 3 is a top view of the stand as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section of the upper half of the stand in partly set-up position.

Figure 5 is a top plan of the stand as it appears when completely formed; and

Figure 6 is a vertical section of one side of the stand, showing how the setting up is accomplished, with the parts in final positions.

The blank 1 of cardboard or other sheet material shown in Figure 1 has a longitudinal crease or score line 2 near the center, extending from end to end. Adjacent one edge of the blank is a parallel crease 3. At equal intervals are parallel transverse creases 4 which, with the lines 2 and 3 delineate a number. of areas or portions 5, lying side by side, illustrated as rectangular in shape and adapted, when the stand is set up, to serve as lateral faces of the lower part thereof. Between the score line 2 and the opposite edge or side of the blank is another longitudinal crease 6, and between these creases 2 and 6 is a fourth but broken or interrupted longitudinal crease 7. All the longitudinal creases are parallel.

At the long edge of the blank adjacent the crease 6 is a series. of sections 8 united at their adjacent ends; the transverse creases 4 which run entirely across the blank, terminating on this edge and defining the junctions of these sections. Between the creases 2 and 6 are quadrangular openings 9, each having two opposite corners in alinement with a crease 4; these openings having the remaining two opposite corners situated in line with the crease 7. These openings are elongated; but each opening is symmetrical with respect to the line of the transverse crease 4 associated therewith. As indicated at 10, the ends of the blank between the creases 2 and 6 are indented with recesses, each having the outline of one long half of one of the openings 9; and these recesses 10 combine to make a single opening when the ends of the blank are secured together.

Between the openings and the indented or recessed parts 10 of the ends of the blank and the two longitudinal crease lines 2 and 6 are areas 11 and 12. These have the shape of trapezoids with their longer sides coinciding with the lines 2 and 6, and having one shorter side in common, this side coinciding with the line 7. The openings 9 allow the opposed trapezoidal areas or portions 11 and 12 to be folded inward around the creases 2 and 6 respectively when the blank is bent into final shape to be set up as in Figures 5 and 6, and still remain connected along the creases 7.

The sections 8 serve as sides for the tray of the stand. And along one terminal edge of the blank in line with the sections 8 is an extension 13 connected to one of the sections 8, with one of the transverse score lines 4 between; and a longer extension 14 connected to one of the areas 5, with the same score line intervening. The blank is bent upon all of the creases 4 and the extensions or flaps 13 and 14 are glued respectively to the inner faces of the areas 8 and 5 at the opposite end. Along the score lines 3 are separate flaps or extensions 15 adjacent each of the areas 5 to be turned inward. These flaps 15 are separated by notches which all have inclined edges at the ends of the areas or portions 15.

To make use of the stand, the blank is folded along the creases 4, the ends are secured by means of the flaps 13 and 14 and an adhesive; and the flaps 15 at the bottom are bent inward. The base of the display structure thus takes the form of a square prism, with rectangular sides 5 at its lower part and the sections 8 above these; and the faces or portions 8 may be regarded as belonging to the tray, which overhangs the parts 12. The portions 12 are bent upward and inward and the portions 11 downward and inward. Thus the stand is contracted just beneath the tray section. From the creases 6 the blank is bent so that the portions 8 extend upward and make the side of the tray. When theparts or lateral faces 11 and 12 above the faces 5 are bent out of the planes of the sides 5, a flat piece 16 of cardboard or the like is inserted into the device and pushed down till its edges rest on the flaps 12. Thus the stand is maintained with all the sides in distended position.- The bending along the lines 2, 6 and 7 is then completed. The portions 12 now converge or extend inward towards the lower edges of the portions 11 at a pronounced dihedral angle, constituting in effect a supporting shoulder or rib for the piece of cardboard 16; that is put into the stand at the top and fits into the tray snugly; resting on the portions 12 along the creases 7; and giving a bottom to the tray.

,The finished display structure has the appearance illustrated in Figure 6. The rib or apex of the angle between the sections 11 and 12 is along the highest portion of both said sections.

' As indicated in Figure 2 by broken lines, the sections or portions 11 are of such height that, when the stand is set up, they would extend out beyond the planes of the sides 8 of the tray, if these portions 11 could be ar: ranged in perfectly horizontal or outward positions, Without being bent. But they cannot thus project, because the sides 8 of the tray are all joined at the corners. When the stand is formed these sections 11 are first inclined upward and outward, but downward pressure on the sides of the tray will cause the portions 11 to come into contact at their bevelled ends, or junctions as shown in Figure 5. The bevelled ends of the portions 12 adjacent the line 7 likewise come into contact. In this operation all said bevelled ends are compressed and crushed slightly at their points of contact in line with the junctions of the sections 11 and 12 and these junctions can thus be forced inward till the portions 11 pass down through horizontal positions, and the sections 11 finally slant downward. When the portions 11 slant downward and outward, as indicated in Figure 6, the compressed parts at the ends of the portions 11 and 12 expand again due to their own elasticity without the portions 11 los- 3 ing contact at their ends, and the portions 11 are in effect locked in such slanting positions. Thus the sides of the tray are maintained in the positions shown in Figures 5 and 6 and cannot of themselves return to the positions shown on Figures 2 and 4. The sections 11 thus maintain the stand in distended position, but it can be collapsed again by first pulling the sides of the tray and the sections 11 upward.

When the portions 11 are forced from the positions shown in Figure 4 to those Figure 6, the sections 3 tend to bend or flex outward a little, especially at the corners of the tray. This facilitates the operation, and when the portions 11 are in their final slanting positions, the sections 3 become perfectly straight again, due to their own elasticity and cooperate in holding the portions 11 as Figure -6 illustrates. The main reliance in the operation however, is on the compressed ends of the portions 11 and 12 to gain the result above described.

This result is facilitated by making the sections 12 relatively high between the score lines 2 and 7, and this is a very important feature of this invention. When the piece 16 is inserted into the tray it rests on the junctions of the portions 11 and 12 and closes the bottom of the tray; and the weight of the articles in the tray is supported on the junctions of the sections 11 and 12. Viewed edgewise the portions 11 and 12 have approximately the shape of the numeral 7 and the stand when fully set up has strength and stability.

The sides or faces 8 are directly above the sides or faces 5 and are respectively equal to the sides 5 in transverse extent, and the edges of the sections 12 at the sides of the openings 9 all make the same angle with the line 7. Likewise the upper sections 11 each have their side edges inclined at the same angle to the line 7. Also the sections 12 are of equal height, as are the sections 11, and the upper and lower lengths of the edges 10 of the openings 9 are inclined at the same angles to the lines 6 and 7 as the corresponding edges of the openings 9. When the stand or display structure is fully set up the adjacent edges of the openings 9 at the ends of the sections 11 and 12 are still in tight contact at the line of junctions of these sections.

The same design will be followed with a stand having six faces for the base and tray sides. In that .case the stand will be a tubular body hexagonal in cross section instead of square, and other shapes may also be given to the display stand with these important features incorporated therein.

The section 8 may have hinged rims 17 that can be turned inward and downward to reinforce the upper edge of the tray if desired.

The stand can of course be designed with a different number of sides, such as six or more in the same construction. I To give the effect above described the height of the portions 11 not only should be above half or a little more than half of the height of the portions 12 but also the angle between the line 6 and each of the inclined sides of the portions 11 should be at least 55 degrees. When the stand is formed and set up the opposite edges of the openings 9 on the score line 7 come together and the parts of these sections 11 and 12 give somewhat as already explained and tend to flex till the portions 11 take the position indicated on Figure 6, and then the compressed parts expand and restore themselves for the most part to their original positions.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

1. A display stand having a tray with sides and a base with sides below the tray, the sides of the tray being directly above the respective sides of the base, a pair of sections one above the other uniting each side of the base along its upper edge to the lower edge of the adjacent side of the tray, said sections having junctions with each other between the tray and the base, the lower sections extending upward and inward from the base and the upper sections inward and upward towards the lower sections, the lower sections being higher than the upper sections, and a bottom in the tray resting on the junctions of said upper and lower sections, said sections forming at said junction a dihedral angle, the apex of which forms a supporting rib for the tray along the highest portions of both said sections.

2. A display stand of sheet material having score lines and bent along said lines to form a tray with sides and a base with sides below the tray, the sides of the tray being directly above the respective sides of the base, a pair of sections one above the other between each side of the base and the adjacent side of the tray, the upper and. lower sections being hinge-connected along some of said score lines respectively with the lower edges of the sides of the tray and the upper edges of the sides of the base, said upper and lower sections having hinged junctions with each other along additional score lines in said material between the said tray and the base, the upper and lower sections having edges at the ends converging toward said junctions, the lower sections, when the structure is set up extending upward and inward to wards the tray and the upper sections extending inward and upward towards the lower sections and holding the parts of the structure in formed positions, the lower sections being higher than the upper sections, and a bottom for the tray resting on the junctions of the upper and lower sections, said sections forming at said junction a dihedral angle, the apex of which forms a supporting rib for the tray along the highest portions of both said sections.

3. A display stand comprising a tray having sides, and a base having sides beneath the tray, the sides of the tray being directly above the respective sides of the base, a pair of sections one above the other connecting each side of the tray at its lower edge to the adjacent side of the base at its upper edge, the upper and lower sections having junctions between said edges, the lower sections being of equal height, and the upper sections of equal height, but of less height than the lower sections, the adjacent ends of the upper sections and of the lower sections having spaces between them, the lower sections being inclined upward and inward and the upper sec-.

tions inward and upward towards the lower sections, and a bottom for the tray resting on the junctions of said sections, said sections forming at said junction a dihedral angle, the apex of which forms a supporting rib for the tray along the highest portions of both said sections.

4. A display stand of flexible sheet material having score lines and bent along said lines to form a tray with sides and a base with sides below said tray, the sides of the tray being directly above the respective sides of the base, a pair of sections one above the other connecting each side of the base to the adjacent side of the tray, said upper and lower sections being hinge-connected along some of said score lines to the lower edges of the sides of the tray and the upper edges, of the sides of the base respectively, the upper and lower sections being flexibly joined .to one another along other score lines between said edges, the edges at the ends of the upper sections and lower sections all converging towards said hinge connections, said lower sections being bent inward and extending upward, the upper sections being of such height that if bent horizontally outward they would project beyond the planes of the sides of the tray when the stand is set up, so that when the'stand is set up the adjacent edges at the ends of said sections are forced by the sides of the tray into tight contact, the upper sec tions also extending inward and upward towards said hinge connections.

5. A display stand having a tray with sides and a base with sides below the tray, the sides of the tray being directly above the respective sides of the base, a pair of sections one above the other uniting each side of the base along its upper edge to the lower edge of the adjacent side of the tray, said sections having junctions with each other between the tray and the base, the lower sections extending upward and inward from the base and the upper sections inward and upward towards the lower sections and a bottom in the tray resting on the junctions of said upper and lower sections, the lower sections being approximately twice the height of the upper sections, said sections forming at said junction a dihedral angle, the apex of which forms a supporting rib for the tray along the highest portions of both said sections.

6. A display stand of sheet material having score lines and bent along said lines to form a tray with sides and a base with sides below the tray, the sides of the tray being directly above the respective sides of the base, a pair of sections one above the other between each side of the base and the adjacent side of the tra the upper and lower sections being hinge-connected some of said score lines respectively with the lower edges of the sides of the tray and the upper edges of the sides or" the base, said upper and lower sections having hinged junctions with each other along additional score lines in said material between the said tray and the base, the upper and lower sections having edges at the ends converging toward said junctions, the lower sections, when the structure is set up, extending upward and inward towards the tray and the upper sections extending inward and upward towards the lower sections and holding the parts of the structure in forrned positions, the lower sections being higher than the upper sections, and a bottom for the tray resting on the junctions of the upper and lower sections, the edges of the ends of the upper sections being inclined to the lines of junction at not less than 55 degrees, in the planes of the upper sections, said sections forming at said junction a dihedral angle, the apex of which forms a supporting rib for the tray along the highest portions of both said sections.

7. A display stand comprising a tray having sides, and a base having sides beneath the tray, the sides of the tray being directly above the respective sides of the base, a pair of sections one above the other connecting each side of the tray at its lower edge to the adjacent side of the base at its upper ed e, the upper and lower sections having junctions between said edges, the lower sections being of equal height, and the upper sections of equal height, but of less height than the lower sections, the adjacent ends of the upper sections and of the lower sections ail being in tight contact, the lower sections being inclined upward and inward and the upper sections inward and upward towards the lower sections, and a. bottom for the tray resting on the junctions of said sections, the lower sections being approximately twice the height of the upper sections, said sections forming at said junction a dihedral angle, the apex of which forms a supporting rib for the tray along the highest portions of both said sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,281,501 Brown Oct. 15, 1918 2,043,483 Lynch June 9, 1936 2,049,659 Parrott Aug. 4, 1936 2,229,257 Reaume Jan. 21, 1941 2,240,282 Beaman Apr. 29, 1941 

